Members of the 99% Power Coalition disrupted Verizon's Annual Shareholder Meeting in Huntsville, Alabama, six separate times – and in each instance, a group of protesters interrupted the proceedings using “Mic Check” tactics, followed by chants such as “Shame On You!,” “Verigreedy!” and “People Over Profit!”  After each occurrence, the chanting group was led out by security people, with many in the audience applauding them.  There were no arrests. 

The Verizon Shareholder Meeting that was held earlier this week comes as the Corporation is in negotiations with the Communications Workers of America (CWA) and the International Union of Electrical Workers (IBEW).

People arrived at the rally in 12 buses and several vans from the States of Florida, New Orleans, and Mississippi, as well as from the Cities of Birmingham, Knoxville, Atlanta, Nashville, Columbia and Chattanooga.  They represented many Unions and Allied Groups, including Jobs with Justice, Occupy Huntsville, Occupy Birmingham and the Student Labor Action Project (SLAP).  Students from Orlando and Tallahassee took a 14-hour bus trip and slept in the local U.A. Plumbers & Pipe Fitters Union Hall.  Meanwhile, rallies supporting Verizon Workers took place in 15 cities, including Philadelphia, Minneapolis, Boston, Portland, Miami and Orlando.

The Corporation - which made $100 billion in profit last year - is asking its Workers for givebacks amounting to as much as $20,000 per Worker, while tripling the compensation of its CEO, Lowell McAdam, from $7.2 million to $23.1 million.

Verizon is the 16th largest Corporation in America and made $22.5 billion in profit over the past four years, while paying its top five Executives $283 million during that period, giving the company the nickname: Verigreedy.

As Patrick Welsh, a Verizon Retiree, said: “Verizon has broken the promises made that if you work hard, follow the rules and pay your taxes, then you’ll have a good retirement.”

At a rally before the Shareholder Meeting, Alabama AFL-CIO President Al Henley demanded Verizon be a better Corporate Citizen: “Verizon is on the run from their own Workers and thought that by taking the meeting to Alabama, a ‘Right-to-Work’ State, but they misjudged our sense of solidarity here in the South.”

Speaking to the thousands rallying outside the Verizon Shareholder Meeting, CWA Chief of Staff Ron Collins said: "Enough of the attacks on Middle-Class Jobs while paying executives obscene salaries and dodging taxes.” 

Also at the rally, Scott Douglas, who serves as the Executive Director of the Greater Birmingham Ministries, said: “We may be down South, but we are not off-shore.  Today we say with new meaning the Alabama State motto, we dare defend our rights.  Now more than ever, it’s important for people of conscience to join together to recognize our common struggle against injustice and to fight back united.”

The issue is one of “fairness,” said Sarita Gupta of Jobs with Justice, noting that with $23 million per year in compensation, Verizon's CEO makes "six-hundred times more than an average front-line Worker makes."